history of australia

European Discovery

     The Aborigines were the very first people in Australia. They came from Africa looking for a land of their own.  In 1770 Captain James Cook of England sighted Australia.  Sixteen years later from Cook's sighting (1786) the British government colonized New South Wales.  Australia was a place that the British sent criminals for punishment.  They had very few resources to survive. 

Colonization and Government

      Four of Australia's six states were colonized between 1829-1859.  Tasmania and South Australia were both dedicated in 1850.  Victoria was settled in 1851 by the British.  During 1860 through 1900 Australia's colonies had very different laws.  They only had some similarities.  In 1870 West Australia got an Elective Legislature, which was the beginning of their national government.  Finally on September 17, 1900, Australia became an independent nation.  Their real democracy came around 1901. 
      

Aborigines and Interesting Facts

      Australia has many interesting historical facts.  For instance as it held two Olympics:  Melbourne, in 1956, and Sydney, in 2000.  It has a very interesting history on its natives, the Aborigines.  They are a tribe that survives in the Great Australian Outback.  The Aborigines use many unusual tools and weapons like the boomerang.  They would be chasing an animal and throw the boomerang at them.  It would knock the animal out so they could go catch it.  If they were to miss the animal, the unusual shape of the boomerang would make it come back so they could try again.  Click here to find another site about the Aborigines.     
 

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